This invention relates in general to transport vessels such as railroad cars, cargo trucks, ocean containers, etc., and in particular to transport vessels having means to prevent tampering with the product carried by the transport vessels.
Transport vessels are often used to carry various products or cargo such as hazardous materials, food grade products, and other materials that are at risk of tampering. Since the terrorist acts of September 11 and the anthrax letters, the prevention of tampering has taken on greater importance. Transport vessels include portions such as openings (e.g., manways, hatches, doors, and/or cutouts) and fittings (e.g., vents, nozzles, pipes, and/or valves). These portions have multiple locations that are at risk of tampering. For example, the bolts used to attach covers over the openings are at risk, as well as the bolts used to attach together the flanges of fittings. The areas between a pair of flanges or between a cover and the tank are also at risk, for example, by insertion of a hypodermic needle therebetween to contaminate the product inside the tank. When it is desired to protect a transport vessel against tampering, the current practice is to individually seal each location of the transport vessel that is at risk of tampering. Unfortunately, the current practice is relatively expensive and time consuming.
This invention relates to an improved method of tamper proofing a transport vessel such as a railroad car, a cargo truck, or an ocean container. The transport vessel has a portion, such as an opening or a fitting, with multiple locations at risk of tampering. The portion of the transport vessel is covered with a pliable cover to cover the multiple locations. The cover is then sealed over the portion with a tamper proof seal in a manner effective to prevent removal of the cover, and to prevent access to the locations without tampering with the seal or the cover.
The invention also relates to a tamper proof transport vessel. The transport vessel has a portion with multiple locations at risk of tampering. A pliable cover covers the portion of the transport vessel to cover the multiple locations. A tamper proof seal seals the cover over the portion in a manner effective to prevent removal of the cover, and to prevent access to the locations without tampering with the seal or the cover.